Window cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

A window cleaner that includes a handle, and base and a pivot joint. The handle has a proximal end and a distal end with the distal end being a forked yoke member. The base has a top surface and a bottom surface with a housing and a wiping blade located on the top surface. The pivot joint has a center with four legs extending outwardly from the center. Two of the legs form a first pin and two of the legs form a second pin. The first pin interfaces with the yoke member and the second pin interfaces with the housing. This pivot joint configuration allows the handle to have a range of 360 degree motion with respect to the base and vice versa.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a product for cleaning windows.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Window cleaning tools are known in the prior art. To date, windowcleaning tools heretofore devised and utilized are known to consistbasically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations,notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded priorart which have been developed for the fulfillment of countlessobjectives and requirements.

A variety of tools have been devised specifically to clean windows. Suchtools are typically formed of a pad which is connected to an elongatedhandle. A cleaning element is attached to one side of the pad by variousmeans including clips, straps, or hook and pile fasteners. However, eachof these tools is specifically devised for a single type of cleaningoperation and operates in a single plane of motion.

While such tools improve the reach of the user and enable the user toclean the lower edges of windows, it is believed that furtherimprovements can be made to such window cleaning apparatus to make thecleaning apparatus easier to use, to provide easily detachable andinterchangeable mounting of different shaped pads, as well as providingeasy replacement of wet, soiled cleaning elements.

Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus to easily and ergonomicallyapply a force to clean or otherwise engage a glass surface or anothersurface and which overcomes some or all of the previously delineateddrawbacks of the prior art.

In other words, while these devices fulfill their respective, particularobjectives and requirements, the prior art does not disclose acombination window cleaning tool having a 360 degree range of motioncoupled with a wiping blade and disposable microfiber cleaning cloths.

In this respect, the combination window cleaning tool according to thepresent invention substantially departs from the conventional conceptsand designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatusprimarily developed for the purpose of cleaning surfaces, in particular,glass surfaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages, the present invention has anobjective to provide a new and novel product for cleaning windows.

The present invention comprises a handle, a base and a pivot joint. Thehandle has a proximal end and a distal end with distal end of handlebeing a forked yoke member.

The base has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surfaceincluding a housing and a wiping blade. The bottom surface includinginterface projections.

A pivot joint connects the handle to the base. The pivot joint has acenter with four legs extending outwardly from the center. Two of thelegs forming a first pin and two of the legs forming a second pin. Thefirst pin interfaces with the yoke member, and the second pin interfaceswith the housing.

The pivot joint allows the handle to have a range of 360 degree motionwith respect to the base and vice versa.

Another aspect of the housing is that the housing includes two housingmembers that are attached to the base. Each housing member has anaperture that is capable of receiving an end of the second pin.

Another aspect of the forked member is that the forked member alsoincludes two apertures. Each aperture capable of receiving an end of thefirst pin.

The present invention also includes a disposable cleaning cloth. Thecleaning cloth also includes interface projections that are compatiblewith the interface projections of the base. The cleaning cloth of thepresent invention is padded and is made from a microfiber material

The present invention is formed from a plastic or a like material. Andthe base is in the shape of a tear-drop.

Another aspect of the present invention is that the handle has agripping portion located on its proximal end. The gripping portion hasan ergonomic design and is made from rubber or like material. Thegripping portion also has a loop located atop the gripping portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below withreference to the drawings, wherein like numerals are used to refer tothe same or similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cleaning tool of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the base of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the forked member of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the pivot joint of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a prospective representative view of the range of motion forthe cleaning tool in the XYZ-plane;

FIG. 7A is a bottom view of the base of the present invention;

FIG. 7B is a top view of the cleaning cloth of the present invention;and

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the cleaning cloth of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is a combination window cleaning tool having a 360degree range of motion coupled with a wiping blade and disposablemicrofiber cleaning cloths.

As seen in FIG. 1, the cleaning tool 10 has a handle 11, base 12, pivotjoint 13, wiping blade 14, forked yoke member 15, gripping portion 16,loop 17, cleaning cloth 18, housing 19, proximal end 42, and distal end43.

The handle 11 includes the forked yoke member 15 and gripping portion16. FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the forked member 15. The forkedmember 15 has two legs 24 which form the forked section. These legs 24each contain an aperture 25 for receiving a pin (discussed below) of thepivot joint 13.

The handle 11 is about 4 to 12 inches in length and has the greatestcircumference about midway along the gripping portion 16. The grippingportion 16 comprises about ⅓ of the entire length of the handle 11. Theshortest circumference is found on the handle 11 at a position betweenthe gripping portion 16 and the forked yoke member 15. The circumferenceof the handle 11 gradually decreases longitudinally from the forked yokemember 15 to midway along the handle 11, then gradually increases tomidway along the gripping portion 16. The circumference of the grippingportion 16 gradually decreases again from midway along the grippingportion 16 to the loop 17.

The gripping portion 16 has an ergonomic design and is made from a softrubber or silicone so that it has a comfortable grip. Atop the grippingportion 16 is a loop used for hanging the cleaning device 10 from a hookor any other hanging device. The interior diameter of the loop is about¼ the length of the gripping portion 16 but may be a different size. Thethickness of the loop 17 is about ½ the distance of its interiordiameter. The shape of the loop 17 is round, but may be a differentshape. The loop 17 is made from the same material as the grippingportion 16, but other materials may be used. The loop 17 also offers theuser with added protection by not allowing the top of the handle 11 tomistakenly scratch or push into an unintended object.

The base 12 includes a top surface 20 and a bottom surface 21. The topsurface 20 includes a housing 19 and a wiping blade 14. The base 12 isin a teardrop configuration but any configuration, such as a square,rectangle, or circle may be used. The teardrop configuration of the base12 gradually increases in width from the rounded triangular point at thedistal end 43 of base 12 at about a 45° angle until it reaches itsgreatest width about midway to the proximal end 42 of base 12 andmaintains that width up to the wiping blade 14.

The base 12 is approximately 2-12 inches in length and about 2-6 inchesat its greatest width. The base is 2-12 centimeters in height.

The cleaning device 10 also has a removable cleaning cloth 18 that isattached to the bottom 21 of the base 12. The cleaning cloth 18 attachesto the base 12 via interface protrusions (discussed below) that interactwith protrusions (discussed below) of the base 12.

The cleaning cloth 18 is made from a microfiber and is also disposable.The cleaning cloth 18 mimics the shape of the base 12 but is slightlylarger than the base 12 in that it extends equally beyond all sides ofthe base 12 such that the width of one side of the extended portion ofthe cleaning cloth 18 is about 1/12 the width of the widest portion ofthe base 12. This allows room for error when applying the cloth 18 tothe base 12. The cleaning cloth 18 also may come dry or may have acleaning fluid already soaked in its fiber.

The pivot joint 13 is also shown in FIG. 1. This joint 13 is attached tothe forked yoke member 15 and the housing 19. The pivot joint 13 holdsthe handle 11 to the base 12 and allows the handle 11 to have manypositions during use. The pivot joint 13 has four legs (discussed below)that form two pins (discussed below).

FIG. 2 shows the top surface 20 of the base 12 without the handle 11 andpivot joint 13. The housing 19 is located at the approximate center ofthe base. The housing 19 includes two housing members 27 and 28 havingan opposing distance of 1/12 the width of the widest portion of the base12 and each contains an aperture 22 for receiving a pin of the pivotjoint 13. The pivot joint 13 is snap fitted into the housing 19 and mayor may not be removable from the base 12.

The top surface 20 also has a wiping blade 14. The wiping blade 14 isused for wiping excess fluid from a cleaning surface. The wiping blade14 is made from a resiliently flexible rubber or plastic material. Thewiping blade 14 is formed with a parabolic gradient of about 90° withthe base 12 so that the wiping blade 14 has a surface that makes bettercontact with the cleaning surface.

The wiping blade 14 is located at the proximal end 42 of the base 12.The wiping blade 14 traverses the entire width of the proximal end 42 ofthe base 12 and extends vertically outwardly, relative to the topsurface 20, a distance of about 1/16 the length of the base 12. Thewiping blade 14 is made from a resilient material, such as rubber orsilicone, so that it does not wear out, but can be made of anothermaterial.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the base 12. The base 12 contains the housing19 and the wiping blade 14 as discussed above and the bottom 21 includesinterface protrusions 23. In the preferred embodiment the interfaceprotrusions 23 are T-shaped but any type of VELCRO-like material may beutilized. These interface protrusions 23 are used to interact withprotrusions (not shown) of the cleaning cloth 18 such that bottom 21adheres to the cleaning cloth 18 when pressed together.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the pivot joint 13 having a center 40. The pivotjoint 13 has four legs 30-33 whereby each leg is perpendicularlyoriented to an adjacent leg, and each leg has a tip 34-37 that issymmetrically notched at a 90° angle relative to its respective leg.Legs 30 and 32 form a first pin and legs 31 and 33 form a second pin.The tips 34-37 of the legs 30-33 are snap-fitted into its intendedaperture 22 (shown in FIG. 2) so that the pivot joint 13 holds thehandle 11 to the base 12 and gives the handle 11 a large range of motion(discussed below) directly over the base 12.

FIG. 6 represents the range of motion for the handle 11 of the cleaningdevice 10 with respect to the base 12. The handle 11 has a full 180degrees range of motion in the X-plane with respect to the Z-plane and afull 180 degrees of motion in the Y-plane with respect to the Z-plane.There is also a limited 360 degree range of motion in the XYZ-plane. Therange of motion is in all X and Y directions but is only on the singleside of the Z-plane.

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b show the interface projections 23 and 41 for the base12 and cleaning cloth 18 respectively. In use the T-shaped projections23 are inserted into a mesh material 41 of the cleaning cloth 18 whenpressed together. The T-shaped projections 23 are present ubiquitouslyon the bottom 21 of the base 12 and aligned linearly with respect toeach other. Once inserted, the cleaning cloth 18 will stay adhered tothe base 12 until a user pulls the cloth 18 from the base 12.

FIG. 8 is the bottom surface 80 of the cleaning cloth 18. This surface80 interfaces with the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning cloth 18 ismade from a microfiber material 81 but any sort of cleaning material maybe substituted. The microfiber 81 is made in such a way that the cloth18 is padded and may take on liquids that are put on the cleaningsurface.

In use, a user will hold the cleaning device 10 by the gripping portion16 and will apply the cleaning cloth 18 to the bottom 21 of the base 12.The user will then apply the cloth 18 to a surface to be cleaned. Thecleaning device 10 will allow a user to position the cleaning device 10at many different angles so that, if the shape of the cleaning surfacechanges, the user does not need to reposition the cleaning device 10because the angle of motion of the handle 11 with respect to the base 12will change. This allows for easier cleaning of oddly shaped surface,such a car windshield.

It is readily apparent that the above-described cleaning device meetsall of the objects mentioned above and has the advantage of widecommercial and residential utility. It should be understood that thespecific form of the invention hereinabove described is intended to berepresentative only, as certain modifications within the scope of theseteaching will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims indetermining the full scope of the invention.

1. A cleaning apparatus comprising: a handle, the handle having aproximal end and a distal end, the handle including a forked yoke memberlocated on the distal end; a base, the base having a top surface and abottom surface, the top surface including a housing; and a pivot joint,the pivot joint having a center with four legs extending outwardly fromthe center, two of the legs forming a first pin and two of the legsforming a second pin, the first pin interfacing with the yoke member,and the second pin interfacing with the housing, whereby the pivot jointallows the handle to have a full range of 360 degree motion with respectto the base and vice versa; a proximal end and a distal end.
 2. Thecleaning apparatus of claim 1 whereby the top surface of the baseincludes a wiping blade.
 3. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherebythe housing including two housing members attached to the base, eachhousing member having a aperture, each aperture capable of receiving anend of the second pin.
 4. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 whereby theforked member includes two apertures, each aperture capable of receivingan end of the first pin.
 5. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising: a disposable cleaning cloth.
 6. The cleaning apparatus ofclaim 5 whereby the cleaning cloth includes interface projections. 7.The cleaning apparatus of claim 6 whereby the bottom surface of the baseincludes interface projections compatible with the interface projectionsof the cleaning cloth.
 8. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 whereby thecleaning apparatus is formed from a plastic or a like material.
 9. Thecleaning apparatus of claim 1 whereby the base is in the shape of atear-drop.
 10. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 whereby the proximalend of the handle has a gripping portion.
 11. The cleaning apparatus ofclaim 10 whereby the gripping portion has an ergonomic design.
 12. Thecleaning apparatus of claim 10 whereby the gripping portion is made fromrubber or like material.
 13. The cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherebythe tip of the gripping portion has a loop.
 14. The cleaning apparatusof claim 6 whereby the cleaning cloth is padded.
 15. The cleaningapparatus of claim 6 whereby the cleaning cloth is made from microfiber.16. The cleaning apparatus of claim 2 whereby the wiping blade is at thedistal end of the base.